Sample processing in chemical and biologic analyses, such as immunohistochemical (IHC) applications, may require one or a number of various processing sequences, steps, and/or protocols as part of an analysis of one or more samples. The staining sequences, steps and/or protocols may be defined by the individual or organization requesting an analysis, such as a pathologist or histologist of a hospital, and may be further defined by the particular analysis to be performed.
Previously, in some traditional processing sequences, protocol steps may have been performed manually, potentially creating a time-intensive protocol and necessitating personnel to be actively involved in the sample processing. Attempts have been previously made to automate sample processing to address the need for expedient sample processing and a less manually burdensome operation. However, such previous efforts may not have fully addressed the needs for an efficient sample processing system in that they may not provide excellent staining results with perhaps with little or no background or non specific staining. Embodiments of the present invention may address the failures of previous attempts by providing stainer methods and systems with a shorter completion time, may significantly reduce the process time. Embodiments of the present invention may provide methods and systems where a liquid such as a reagent may be moved across a slide in a controlled manner and may produce crisp, sharp staining with perhaps little or no background, no non-specific staining in the tissue, and perhaps even no hue on the glass slide.
Past efforts at automated sample processing for samples presented on carriers such as slides, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,820,381 to Lemme et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,615,371 to Kram, US Publication No. US2005/0074890 to Lemme et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,669 to Palander, US Publication No. US2008/1012006A1 to Kram et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,861 to Copeland et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,091 to Rhett et al., each hereby incorporated by reference herein, have not afforded the various advantages and other combinations of features as presented herein. The systems of the prior art do not provide the efficient processing with excellent staining results like that of the present invention.